


A Casual Relationship—The Let’s Make It Memorable Again Job

by crayonbreakygal



Category: Leverage
Genre: F/M, Friends With Benefits, Sexual Situations, Something More, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 12:23:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16218977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crayonbreakygal/pseuds/crayonbreakygal
Summary: Casual relationship.  Friends with benefits.  Working partners.  Partners in crime.  Neither one of them had a clue what the other one wanted.  Takes place season four.





	A Casual Relationship—The Let’s Make It Memorable Again Job

**Author's Note:**

> Both their viewpoints.

A Casual Relationship—The Let’s Make It Memorable Again Job

Takes place mostly right after The Hot Potato Job, season four, with some flashbacks to different scenes throughout the series.

 

Casual relationship.  Friends with benefits.  Working partners.  Partners in crime.  Those terms flitted through his mind as he looked at Sophie sitting there in her chair, braless, almost stammering as much as he was, during a briefing.  If it was just casual, why did they both care what the other three thought?

One friendly drink led to another in San Lorenzo, which led to his room, which led to their clothes on the floor, which led to a night of abandon. It was something he never thought could happen, but wished it on several occasions, one of which was right in front of him.

Memorable. He had told her it was memorable.  Denial. They both were in denial, because once they came together, slept together in a foreign country, celebrated not dying, how could either be in denial.  It was indeed memorable, except he couldn’t remember her real name.  Possibly because he was super drunk. And so was she.

When Nate had told Karen, their client from that mountain adventure, that Sophie was scary, he was serious. Only Karen had no idea to what kind of scary Nate was referring.  She was scary to him because of what she represented.  A relationship?  That’s why she was scary in his mind.  He could certainly have a relationship with Sophie Devereaux.  Could he?

He thought she’d argue with him that morning after the second encounter, his idea that he didn’t want a relationship was valid.  He was expecting it. He wanted it on a certain level.  Was it he wanted her to convince him that a relationship would work between the two of them?  Then she had to go and say that it was just casual.  Nothing of what they did was casual.

Sophie thought it was just because of the way he was raised.  It was true that it did rankle a little bit that he was going into this not knowing the outcome.  When he had dated Maggie, he had already worked out the scenarios in his head.  Plan A, they would be married by the end of the year (they first started dating in early January of that year).  Plan B, they would wait for a year and live together, which wasn’t ideal.  Plan C had them eloping a few months later.  Plan D had them living together, but planning a wedding as soon as possible.  He thought and re-thought what could happen. It ended up being a combination of when it would fit in with both their jobs. He waited two years, didn’t live with her beforehand, and they married before a judge because he didn’t want anything extravagant. 

Sophie spoiled all his plans. He had no plans in place. There wasn’t a plan A, where he would ask Sophie if she wanted to marry.  He really didn’t think she was the marrying type.  Plan B would be her living with him, which might cause more strain on their “relationship” which wasn’t supposed to be a relationship.  Plan C had them keeping it casual until they both tired of being apart. Plan D had Sophie planning a big wedding with all the trimmings.  Plan E had them breaking up by year’s end because there was no way that she could stand being around him for that long without leaving.  He definitely didn’t want Plan E to come to fruition.

So there was no real plan. Having something this casual didn’t warrant a plan other than not telling the others that they were sleeping together.  They would find out eventually on their own.

He was trying not to count their encounters in his head, but the tally was there, just in case Sophie changed her mind. He could relive it in stereo if it all went to hell.  Not having sex for a few years made him realize he wasn’t built for lack of affection.  If it was just a look or a touch, he could live through that and had for several years. Now that it was real, with Sophie lying next to him, he didn’t think he could give that up. That was not the mark of a casual relationship or friends with benefits. He wondered if she realized this fact.

Wiping his hand over his face, he turned to observe her, hoping that she was still asleep.  He could admire the softness of her shoulders, the arch of her spine, the curve of her hip, her long, powerful legs that she had just tightened around his waist a mere hour ago.  She was gloriously naked in his bed and he did not want to give that up any time soon. So why did he challenge her with telling her he didn’t want a relationship? Dumbass, he thought of himself.  Here he had the most stunning woman in his bed finally and he had to go and be stupid about it.  Why did she have to agree with him though? To throw him off his game? Did he have game?  Hardison would tell him in no uncertain terms that no, Nate Ford did not have game. 

Why was Sophie attracted to him? She could have anyone she wanted at her beck and call and in her bed with just a wink and a smirk on her part.  Her big brown eyes had lured many a man to give up some part of his fortune to her. The hint of the curve of her breast, the toss of her hair had trapped many a man to hand over a painting without blinking. The purr of her voice had many a man sighing, turning over a statue of great value to her in minutes.  So why had she chosen him? He had nothing of value, at least nothing that she knew about.  He wasn’t some young stud with a six pack and muscly arms.  He didn’t own a Degas or a Van Gogh, although he did have a few pieces that he had acquired over the last few years that were nice. Not priceless like the masters, but nice. He was probably smarter than most of them, but who needed smarts in the bedroom.  So he wasn’t a stud.

“You’re staring,” Sophie said, startling him out of his musings.

She had turned her head to look at him, sheet now twisted around his middle.  She was still gloriously naked beside him.

“Can’t I stare?”

“Nate Ford, the only time you stare is when you’re planning something. So this better be a plan to ravish me again or so help me if you’re going through the next job in your head while you’re in bed with me, I’ll be very put out.”

If she only knew. Best not to tell her the truth.

“You could have anyone.”

“Oh, here we go.  Nate, I’ve told you before.”

“Told me what?”

Now he was very curious to what she was referring.

“You don’t have a clue.”

“What clue?”

Where was she going with this? He shouldn’t have opened his mouth.

Turning over, she propped her head up with her hand, elbow bent underneath.  She wasn’t that much younger in age than he was, but the years had been much kinder to her than to him. Why did she have to be so stunning?  Closing his eyes, he tried to shake the fact out of his mind that she was out of his league.

“You think you don’t deserve to have me in your bed.”

Dammit, Sophie. Why could she read him so well?

“I did shoot you at one point.”

“Same.  Did I ever tell you how much I hated you right then?”

“Several times.”

She looked like a painting lounging on his bed, like one of the masters posed her just for his partaking.  That twinkle in her eyes though, that was all Sophie. 

“Listen, we’re both older, more confident in our skins. That’s all that matters.”

He didn’t feel confident right then. Was he getting the brush off sooner than he thought?

“I didn’t exactly think, what I mean to say is…”

“Do you think my type is like Hardison, all muscle? Or like Eliot?”

Nate’s brow involuntarily furrowed.  He didn’t want to think of her with another man. Ever.

“You are the most maddening man I have ever met. I like the challenge though. And your hands. I definitely like your hands. And your mouth, when you decide to use it on me instead of lecturing me.”

“Lecturing?”

“Yes.  You didn’t like it when I called the audible at Verd Agra.”

“You surprised me.”

“I did my job.”

“You did.”

Sophie lay back on the bed, looking a little frustrated with him.

“We have to trust one another.  I thought we did.”

“I do. Trust you. Do you trust me?”

Sophie grinned up at him, arms extending up above her head.  God, did she know she was seducing him yet again? Probably.

“Most certainly.”

“I just would like more lead time.”

“That’s why it’s called an audible, darling.  You cannot take a hint, can you?”

“Hint?”

“You’ve been staring at my body like you’re starving.”

Was she right? Of course, Sophie was right.  Starving for attention, starving for comfort, starving for companionship, starving for her.

“Well, not exactly the word I would use.”

“Neither one of us is perfect.”

Nate turned his head, grinning a little at that. She was saying that to him?  From where he was sitting, she was perfect.

“Your little smirk and blush, the way you stammer.  You shuffle your feet, hands in your pockets.  That surprise in your eyes, a little sigh here and there when you get excited about something.”

That must be why she took him to bed in the first place.  She wanted someone she knew, intimately knew, and not just in the biblical sense.

“The way your mind works.  That one tooth that overlaps on the top.  Why you did not fix that when you were younger tells me that you have never been one that cared about what others think of him.”

“Or the fact that my father thought that dentists were scam artists just wanting your money.”

“There is that.  Your need for every type of hat on the planet.  The crazier your schemes get, the crazier your hair becomes. You strut, yes strut, when you walk away. Did you realize that?  That look of murder that you get in your eyes when wanting to take down a mark.  That just sends tingles down my spine.”

“Wait, what?”

“You have this look.”

“You like dangerous men?”

“I like this dangerous man. Makes it interesting in bed.”

Leaning over, instead of kissing her, he went for the neck instead. Always keep her guessing.

“What that mouth can do to me is a sin,” Sophie groaned out.

She arched her neck to give him better access.

“Feeling tingles?” he asked her.

“And more. Let’s make it memorable again.”

“Your wish is my command.”

Grabbing the back of his neck, Sophie pulled him down.  He really didn’t care as she ran her hands through his hair, catching tangles as she sighed against his lips.

Sex in a casual relationship could not be this good.  Sleeping with a woman like this was not a casual relationship.  Making this woman, this perfectly stunning woman in his bed come for the third time that night was not a casual relationship. He wouldn’t call her out on her mistake, yet, because he didn’t know if he wanted a relationship.

As he worked his hands over her body, he realized he wanted to do this as much as possible for the rest of his life.  He’d let her come to her own conclusions.

With three fingers buried inside her, he wanted her to figure out on her own that she couldn’t give this up.  As she arched up, orgasm washing over her for the third time, she needed to decide if this was what she wanted.

 

 

Christ on a cracker, or however the saying went.  Why wouldn’t he challenge her?  It was like poking a sleeping bear who was hibernating.  He just kept agreeing with her that it was something casual between them.  She wanted him arguing his case, not nodding his head in acquiescence.  Dammit, Nate, Sophie thought.  This wasn’t his usual M.O.

From the friends to partners in crime to partners in bed, she figured that eventually he was going to declare that there was something more than just mind-blowing sex. After that first night in San Lorenzo, she wondered if they ever would admit that they wanted more, in bed and out of it.  Pushing him into it was not the key.  He wouldn’t go quietly.  Then the comment about him not wanting a relationship the morning after another night of abandon.  Calling it just dinner had been the clincher. 

Colleagues, friends, lovers, partners. She really didn’t care what they called themselves. She just wanted it to continue. Maybe he’d come round.  He definitely didn’t take the friends with extras very well, so that was a start.  Work her way into his heart slowly but surely, make him see that they were wonderful together, as a team. Then she’d go in for the kill, for lack of a better term.  Once he realized that he couldn’t control everything in his life, that he had to give and take, then maybe he’d be ready to hear what she had to say. Meanwhile, she’d enjoy all he had to offer.

He had taken to staring at her at odd times, but it was more poignant now, unlike it was before San Lorenzo. Before San Lorenzo, he was shy about it, would turn his head if he noticed she caught him. Now, his blue eyes could bore a hole through her before turning away.  She often wondered what he was thinking, or reliving.  The man certainly did have a vivid imagination. And more skills in which she could ever give him credit.

“You’re staring,” Sophie said, startling him out of his musings.

She had turned her head to look at him, sheet now twisted around his middle.  She was still naked beside him.

“Can’t I stare?”

“Nate Ford, the only time you stare is when you’re planning something. So this better be a plan to ravish me again or so help me if you’re going through the next job in your head while you’re in bed with me, I’ll be very put out.”

If he only knew. Best not to tell him the truth.

“You could have anyone.”

“Oh, here we go.  Nate, I’ve told you before.”

“Told me what?”

Now she was very curious to what he was referring.

“You don’t have a clue.”

“What clue?”

Where was she going with this? She shouldn’t have opened her mouth.

Turning over, she propped her head up with her hand, elbow bent underneath.  She wasn’t that much younger in age than he was. Why did he have to be so damn smart and stupid at the same time?  Closing her eyes, she tried to shake the fact out of her mind that this might never work between them.

“You think you don’t deserve to have me in your bed.”

Dammit, Nate. Why could he read her so well?

“I did shoot you at one point.”

“Same.  Did I ever tell you how much I hated you right then?”

“Several times.”

That twinkle in his eyes though, that was all Nate.  It was making her hot and bothered all over again. 

“Listen, we’re both older, more confident in our skins. That’s all that matters.”

She didn’t feel confident right then. Was she getting the brush off sooner than she thought?

“I didn’t exactly think, what I mean to say is…”

“Do you think my type is like Hardison, all muscle? Or like Eliot?”

Nate’s brow involuntarily furrowed.  She didn’t want to think that they might not be compatible.  Ever.

“You are the most maddening man I have ever met. I like the challenge. And your hands. I definitely like your hands. And your mouth, when you decide to use it on me instead of lecturing me.”

“Lecturing?”

“Yes.  You didn’t like it when I called the audible at Verd Agra.”

“You surprised me.”

“I did my job.”

“You did.”

Sophie lay back on the bed, giving him a look of frustration.

“We have to trust one another.  I thought we did.”

“I do. Trust you. Do you trust me?”

Sophie grinned up at him, arms extending up above her head.  God, did he know what that voice did to her?

“Most certainly.”

“I just would like more lead time.”

“That’s why it’s called an audible, darling.  You cannot take a hint, can you?”

“Hint?”

“You’ve been staring at my body like you’re starving.”

Was she right? Of course, Sophie was right.  Starving for attention, starving for comfort, starving for companionship, starving for her.  Realizing that she felt the exact same way for him was an epiphany that she might share at a later date.

“Well, not exactly the word I would use.”

“Neither one of us is perfect.”

Nate turned his head, grinning a little at that.

“Your little smirk and blush, the way you stammer.  You shuffle your feet, hands in your pockets.  That surprise in your eyes, a little sigh here and there when you get excited about something.”

That was one of the reasons why she took him to bed in the first place.  She wanted someone she knew, intimately knew, and not just in the biblical sense.

“The way your mind works.  That one tooth that overlaps on the top.  Why you did not fix that when you were younger tells me that you have never been one that cared about what others think of him.”

“Or the fact that my father thought that dentists were scam artists just wanting your money.”

“There is that.  Your need for every type of hat on the planet.  The crazier your schemes get, the crazier your hair becomes. You strut, yes strut, when you walk away. Did you realize that?  That look of murder that you get in your eyes when wanting to take down a mark.  That just sends tingles down my spine.”

“Wait, what?”

“You have this look.”

“You like dangerous men?”

“I like this dangerous man. Makes it interesting in bed.”

Leaning over, instead of kissing her, he went for the neck instead. Always keep her guessing.

“What that mouth can do to me is a sin,” Sophie groaned out.

She arched her neck to give him better access.

“Feeling tingles?” he asked her.

“And more. Let’s make it memorable again.”

“Your wish is my command.”

Grabbing the back of his neck, Sophie pulled him down.  He really didn’t care as she ran her hands through his hair, catching tangles as she sighed against his lips.

Sex in a casual relationship could not be this good.  Sleeping with a man like this was not a casual relationship.  Making this man, keeping this man in bed with her that night was not a casual relationship. She wouldn’t call him out on his mistake, yet, because she didn’t know if she wanted a relationship.

As he worked his hands over her body, she realized she wanted to do this as much as possible for the rest of her life.  She’d let him come to his own conclusions.

With three fingers now buried inside her, she wanted him to figure out on his own that he couldn’t give this up.  As she arched up, orgasm washing over her for the third time, he needed to decide if this was what he wanted. She wouldn’t lead him, but would somehow figure out a way to make him see what he had right in front of him.  As she pushed him down, straddled his lap and felt how hard he was again for her, Sophie promised herself that this wasn’t the end or a casual relationship or friends with benefits.  This was two people who finally realized how much they meant to each other. Now she had to figure out how to tell him.

 

 


End file.
